Flooding Turns for Worse, Millions Marooned

The overall flood situation in the country has worsened further as fresh regions have gone flooded due to a dramatic increase in river-water levels in the last several days, leaving several million residents marooned.

A huge upstream irrigation has raised the water volume of major rivers, inundating new areas in the northern, northern and central regions, reports UNB.

The flooding in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Natore, Bogura, Sirajganj, Sherpur, Sylhet and Sunamganj have intensified more owing to the flooding of the dams.

Hundreds of flood refugees are suffering a great deal from severe food and drinking water shortages. They 're screaming for help.

Strong currents in several rivers have destroyed several houses, trees, telecom infrastructures, educational facilities and other establishments.

According to the National Disaster Response Coordination Center (NDRRC), about 3.04 million flood victims in 21 districts have lost their lives as a consequence of the second storm.

The displaced people have been passing their days under open sky as their dwellings were washed away by floodwater and waterborne diseases like diarrhoea have broken out in the flood-hit areas.

According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, the flood situation is likely to worsen further in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Natore, Bogura, Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Tangail and Naogaon in the next 24 hours.

Floods will remain unchanged in Sunamganj, Sylhet, Brahmanbaria, Netrakona, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Chandpur, Rajbari, Shariatpur and low-lying areas of Dhaka district.

“Because of heavy rainfall and upstream water from bordering areas, water flows from Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers have increased rapidly and it will continue for the next 72 hours,” said Md Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan of the FFWC.

The water flow of Ganges-Padma river basin is in static state and it will continue till 48 hours, he said.

Rivers around Dhaka city has been rising and it will continue to rise in the next 48 hours. Balu river at Demra points may cross danger level, it said.

River water was rising at 57 of the 101 points observed by the warning centre in the morning.

Twenty major rivers are flowing above their danger mark at 30 stations on Thursday, the FFWC said.

In Kurigram, houses of 200 families at Burirhat in Razarhat upazila were flooded as 50 metres of a 350-metre spar along the Teesta River at Burirhat point was washed away by floodwater.

According to the District Recovery and Rehabilitation Office, some 475 villages in nine upazilas have been submerged, while 500 households are at risk of river bank erosion. In addition, 55,000 houses were damaged by floods and river bank degradation.

In Sherpur, two people died in separate incidents in Sadar and Nakla upazilas.

Of the deceased, Bhushi Mia, 50, of Bausha area in Nakla upazila died of snakebite while fishing in floodwater, UNO Zahidur Rahman said.

Moreover, Umela Begum, 50 years old, the widow of Abu Bakar of Kandapara in Sadar upazila, drowned in the floodwaters.

In Natore, the flood situation worsened further owing to an rise in water levels in both dams, leaving several hundred residents marooned.

Most of those residents in Singra Upazila have taken shelter in various government colleges.

In Bogura, around 25,750 families in 12 unions and one municipality of Sariakandi Upazila, 4,960 families in three unions of Sonatala Upazila and 622 families in two unions of Dhunat Upazila have so far been hit by floods.

In turn, the floodwaters also destroyed 8,831 hectares of cropland in the area.